Yesterday, red & yellow Vietnamese flags started sprouting from every house & business...there has also been a large number of military marching about....

Turns out that tomorrow, April 30th, is Freedom Day....the day that Saigon fell to the North....the last of the Americans fled, & the tanks smashed through the Palace gates to depose the South Vietnamese government.....40 yrs ago..

While it is supposed to be a national day of celebration, there are many dour faces when it is mentioned here (the South Vietnamese do not feel so celebratory about it!)....very quietly the people of Saigon call it Shame Day...

There will a huge parade through the central city of military, floats, marching bands et al, followed by a large rally in Tam Sen park (30/4 park)....I have been warned not to head into the city to view this, as there will be some protests, & in past milestone years there have been riots around the parades !!!

So....I will just satisfy myself with the ubiquitous fireworks display tonight at 10pm (they do love their fireworks...any excuse is a good one...lol)....

It is quite hard to find out what people really think about it, as it isnt very healthy to express negative thoughts about national pride....but I am told that every dwelling (residential or business) are supposed to be flying the Vietnamese flag by sundown tonight, or they will be fined!Seems the most common form of protest amongst the garden variety Vietnamese, is to leave the flag raising until the last possible moment....my guesthouse has not yet raised theirs, although I see it folded on the table in the foyer...

So...there you have it, Communism is alive & well in Vietnam, but not necessarily happily in all areas!